38 Dresses
by The Queen Of Mischief
Summary: To Hermione, Always a bridesmaid never a bride has applied forever. What happens when she meets a marriage skeptic who also happens to write the romance section of the newspaper which she loves? What if she knows that someone? Read and find out! R&R!
1. Chapter 1

Hey, people! Here's another fic from the Queen Of Mischief! It is based on the movie 27 dresses. I have noticed that quite a lot of my fics are based on movies. Lol. Anyway, enjoy! And review!

**Chapter 1**

Hermione looked at herself in the mirror. Sometimes, she wondered if the bride always was hell-bent on making the bridesmaid look ugly.

In her teal green dress, it looked like someone had poured a mixture of slime and puke all over her. She shuddered.

She reviewed her life over the three years after Hogwarts.

Mozart had found his calling at the age of five as a musician.

Picasso had found _his _calling as a brilliant artist at the tender age of ten.

She had found her calling at the age of three. She recalled her first wedding. It had been fun. She had helped the bride solve a last minute zipper crisis and dress her cousin, Lizzie who was kind of like a sister she had never had.

Since then, she had been to more weddings than she could count. Even after going to Hogwarts, she would come back during the holidays to find a list of numerous weddings she was to attend that very week.

That was her calling, because she knew on her special day, they would all be there for her.

She checked the bag in which she had stored the sari for later that evening when she would have to go to her good friend Parvati's wedding. Yes, she was attending two weddings on the same night.

She sighed, gave her hair one last pat, and set off.

"Hi, Cindy! Oh, my God, you look gorgeous in that dress!" she had quickly learnt that this was what brides often liked to hear on their wedding night. She stared at the witch from Baubaxtons in her three sizes too small dress. She didn't know how long Cindy had been living on ice cubes to get into that.

"Thanks you _so _much for making all the arrangements for the wedding!"

Soon after her fourteenth birthday, she had discovered a talent for making arrangements for weddings, too. She could think up creative ideas and dresses for each bride that suited her personality and made her feel good about herself. The bride, she meant. Not herself.

"Oh, it's no problem, Cindy! My pleasure." She smiled.

"Oh, God, I have to go now," she squealed, hearing the wedding music.

"How do I look?" she asked.

"Lovely, as always," Hermione realized she was panicking and needed all the support she could get.

"Thanks," she shot a grateful look at Hermione.

As soon as the priest started talking, she ran out and flagged a cab.

"Listen, dude, I'll pay you three hundred pounds for the whole night if you promise not to turn around."

"Uh, okay."

She started pulling off her shoes and unzipping her dress.

"Hey, what're you doing?" he demanded.

"You just lost twenty pounds, buddy."

"Okay, okay. Chill."

She got out of the cab completely differently different, in a red and orange sari. She shot one last look at the cabbie and pointed to her forehead. "Straight?" she said, referring to her bindi.

"Yeah, sure."

"Thank you so much for helping me with the wedding so much, Hermione, you have no idea how much I appreciate it." Said Parvati.

"Sure, sure."

She sighed. She was tired already. And she would be doing this all night.

She ran back out as soon as the to be couple started saying their vows.

"Well, what are you waiting for. GO." She snapped to the cab driver.

She stumbled out of the cab, once more dressed in her vomit colored dress.

She bumped into some guy at the entrance, while trying to struggle into a shoe.

She glanced up. "You mind shoving off?"

He looked amused. "Sure," he stepped aside and bowed theatrically to allow Hermione entrance.

She made an exasperated sound and brushed past him.

This went on.

At last, Cindy turned her back to the crowd to throw her bouquet and for a moment, Hermione thought she would catch it. Until a horde of girls attacked her to get it first.

She was knocked out cold.

She woke up to see that guy she had pushed past at the door peering down at her.

"How do you feel?" he asked in a tenor voice.

She groaned. "I feel fine." She pressed a hand to her forehead and sat up.

He stood up and held out a hand for her. She accepted it and stood up. She stumbled a bit.

"Whoa," he touched her shoulder gently.

She shoved it away and started to stumble out of the room.

He followed her.

She sat in her cab and gave the driver her address. He sat down after her.

"So what, you a doctor?" she asked without looking at him.

"No,"

"Look, I'm sorry; I'm just a little groggy-"

"You were at two weddings at once. Weren't you? I saw you changing."

She turned bright red.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why were you at two weddings at the same time?"

"Because, well, they're both really good friends of mine- you know what? You're a complete stranger. Why am I explaining this to you?"

He shrugged.

"Blaise, by the way, Blaise Zabini."

"What? Oh, Merlin, no."

"What?"

"Hermione Granger."

He said a rude word. "Er, right." He added.

"How do you know Cindy?" she asked after a while. She was curious!!

"I don't, I'm a reporter for the London Times, in the marriage section." He shivered.

"You don't believe in marriage?"

"No, I don't believe why any person in their right minds would want to chain themselves down with marital bonds, and spend so much money while they were at it, too. It's like paying to be assassinated."

"Ah, you're a skeptic. Must be hard, doing the marriage section."

He shrugged.

"I know this reporter who writes the most amazing stories, true romance, you know?"

"Oh?"

"Eric, Eric Freeman, you heard of him?" she didn't let on that she found his stories the sweetest ones in the world and that he could weave magic from his words.

"Er, yes, kind of." He looked shifty. She couldn't imagine why.

"What do you do, then?" he seemed eager to change the subject.

"Bank accountant."

"Ah," he sounded coolly disinterested.

"Well, this is my stop." She smiled fakely.

"So, I'll see you around." He sounded like he was for real.

"I don't think so," she replied.

He laughed. "Sure, Granger. I wouldn't be so sure if I were you. It's a small world, after all." He said the last line in a singsong voice.

"Shut up, Zabini."

"Bye!" he said sweetly.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Minutes after Hermione got out of the car, Blaise thought, Merlin she's changed. She seemed more serious now. Not that she wasn't serious before, but she _had _changed. And she was even more beautiful. You could say that Blaise had had something of a crush on her in Hogwarts, he was just so good at hiding his emotions, no one could ever read him.

He gazed at the empty seat where she had been just a moment ago. He saw something.

What's this? He asked himself. He picked it up. It appeared to be a diary of some sort.

He opened it.

It looked like… a schedule! Weddings, weddings, weddings! This woman had five weddings to attend this week alone!

He could do an article on this! It would be fabulous and then maybe he could get out of the bloody marriage section!

This was his ticket to bigger things…

-

"Hey, Val," Blaise started the next day, at work.

"Don't you use that tone with me. You want something. What is it?" she said.

He grinned. "Always sharp,"

"Stop flattering me. It isn't working. Now get to the point. I can't sit around and chit-chat all day."

"I was wondering… if you would let me do this article on a girl and if it's good then you move me out of marriages."

She sighed. "This had better not be something like the wedding cake frosting price scam." She warned.

"But that was a problem the public needs to know about! They are being cheated for _cakes!_ Look, if I have to write a single word more about a euphoric bride's ravings about how excited she is to get married, I will hang myself to death with my _tie._"

"Zabini. Shut up. Everyone loves your stories. Half the girls in London wake up early to get the newspaper and flip over to the marriage section. There they read the ones written by Eric Freeman only, or should I say, Blaise Zabini. You had to bloody change your name so that raving lunatic fan girls don't come chasing after you!"

He ignored that statement and dropped the diary on the desk in front of his boss.

"This girl, has been to 15 weddings."

"Uh-huh, that's nice, Blaise, no go buy yourself a lollipop."

"This month."

That caught her attention.

"Alright, Zabini, one week, and if I don't like it, you get your sorry ass stuck in marriages forever. Got it?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Now get you and you incredibly cute face out of my office."

"Thank you." He said as he left.

"Out." She said.

-

Meanwhile, Hermione went to her office. "Morning, Sylvia," she smiled to the secretary.

"Morning, Ms Granger." She replied, just as brightly.

"Could you please nip down to my office to get a file to give to Jeff?"

"Sure."

Hermione's eyes softened a bit at her colleague's name. She had always had a bit of a thing for him. Quite obviously, the feelings were not mutual.

Later that day, she received a call from her cousin, Lizzie.

"Oh, mi Gawd, Hermione, it has been like six hundred thousand years!" she squealed. "How are you?"

Before Hermione could respond, she said, "I'm doing great, too, thanks!"

"Er, good."

"Anyway, guess what?"

"Um,"

"I am coming to London for a job! Ohmigod, aren't you like so happy for me? I know you are! My magazine, Mode, the one I work for, you know, is sending me here to interview a model who's also a mom! Oh, gosh, isn't this great!?"

"Er, yeah, sure. How long will you be here?"

"Oh, a week, maybe two, but that's not important. I just wanted to ask, is it alright if I crash at your place for a while?"

"Um, that sounds great, Liz, really." Struggled Hermione. She had never been able to stick her bimbotic cousin, but she kept telling herself that she loved Liz, deep, deep, deep, deep, _deep_ down. And since she was older, it was her job to take care of her.

"Good! Um, actually, I'll be coming tomorrow."

"Oh," said Hermione. "this is a bit short notice, Lizzie, er, I,"

"You mean you don't want me there? Oh, Hermione, I'm sorry, I'm sure I can find a decent hotel somewhere. Although I'm not sure how much it will cos-"

Oh, that manipulative little bitch.

"No, no, Liz, it's not that, I would _love _to-"

"Great! It's settled, then. Toodles!" she hung up.

Oh, God, what had she gotten herself into?

-

She waited the next day at the airport for Elizabitch. Oh, er, Lizzie.

She saw this blonde little bimbo-type girl strut around and look at her with recognition.

"Hi, Hermione! Oh, my Gawd!" Hermione noticed she said that quite a lot.

"Hey, Liz," she replied, smiling fakely. "I didn't know you travelled so lightly." She gestured to Liz's tiny clutch bag.

"Oh, I don't. I met someone on the plane. He offered to help me." She pointed at some nice looking man carrying at least six heavy bags.

"LIZ!" Hermione said.

God, this was so typical of Liz.

They went back to Hermione's apartment.

"God, this is so…quaint. And cute and tiny!" she giggled.

Hermione forced a smile and nodded.

"So, have you met anyone?"

"What?"

"You know…" Liz trailed off suggestively.

"No, Liz." Said Hermione tonelessly.

"Hey, you know what I'd really like?"

Frankly, Hermione didn't care. But to be polite, she asked, "What?"

"To meet some of your friends! You know, colleagues and all. You having any functions soon?"

There was no point lying. Liz would find out.

"Well, there is this party coming up…"

"Cool, I'll be there!"

"Can't wait." Muttered Hermione.

-

_At the party…_

Hermione went dressed in an appropriate manner: a pair of skinny jeans and a top that flared out at the bottom (no pun intended) and a belt with tiny diamond (fake, of course) studs on the buckle and black boots with pointy toes and long tops that sort of crumpled, intentionally, of course and a beret, those ones that artists were famous for wearing. Not that she was in any way artistic. It looked good against her lightly curling hair.

She looked dressed for a rave, but didn't suggest that she wanted anything more than fun.

Liz, on the other hand, was dressed for a strip club. One she worked at.

In a tiny golden sequined dress that barely covered her black lacy thong and high heeled golden shoes and the way she stood and sat with her legs wide open, only one word could describe the way she looked: slutty.

Hermione looked at her distastefully as she practically wrapped her legs around a poor bugger.

"Hey," said a voice behind her.

She spun around to see Zabini.

"Hi," she replied, not quite meeting his eyes, as she was still staring at her sister, who had now caught eyes on Jeff. What was he doing here, anyway? Whatever. Someone must have invited him.

She glanced at Zabini. "I'm sorry I said I hate you the other day; I was flustered and tired."

He smiled. "That's okay."

He followed her eyes. "Who's that?" he asked pointing to her cousin.

"Elizabit- er, my cousin, Lizzie."

"Ah. She looks like a- forgive me for saying this- slut."

"I know. That little…" she looked up at him to see his blue-green eyes laughing down at her and blushed.

She stared at Liz again. Lord, no, she was wrapping her leg around Jeff, now. And he seemed to be enjoying it.

"Could you please hold this for me?" she asked Blaise sweetly, holding out her cup. "I'll only be a moment."

"Sure." He accepted it and watched her go.

She stalked off to a door which she presumed was the back exit, opened it, walked in, closed it and screamed, "FUC#!" she banged her purse against a wall and screamed it again.

Finally, when she felt a bit better, she looked up and brushed a stray strand of hair back to see a whole assembly of people staring back at her. She looked at the stage thing to see a banner, "Happy 50th Anniversary, John and Kate!!" and two people who looked about seventy facing each other, as though they were about to say their vows.

She smiled shakily. "Oh, um, Happy Anniversary, John and Kate!" and turned and left.

She walked back to Blaise who appeared to be laughing and grabbed her drink. "Feel better?" he asked sweetly.

"No." she looked at him and saw he was still laughing.

"If it makes you feel better, he's looking at you now."

"What?"

"He's still looking."

"STOP LOOKING AT HIM."

He chuckled.

"You have it bad, Granger."

"No, I don't! He's a respected colleague!"

"Okay, whatever you say." He smirked.

His grin faded after a second as he stared at Jeff and Liz some more. "Okay, don't look now." He sort of covered my eyes with his palm. It felt pleasantly warm, but I shoved it off and looked.

Oh, Merlin, they were making out.

"Hey, Hermione," he said, trying to distract her. "You left this in the cab the other day."

"Oh, there it is! I've been looking everywhere for it!" she grabbed it and stuffed it in her purse.

"I knew I had to give it back to you, so I sort've, checked it for the next appointment."

"You read it?" her voice rose to a shriek.

"Um, sorry?"

She sighed and covered her face.

"I have to leave."

"I'll see you on Thursday's spa, then. Or not." He grinned and winked.

Hermione burned up. Did he just _wink_ at her?


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"Tess, come on. We're going." Said Hermione, interrupting Jeff at that party.

"Oh, I can't, Hermy."

"First of all, don't call me 'Hermy'. Secondly, why?"

"Oh, Jeff here is taking me out for a drink." She giggled and wrapped a leg around Jeff's shin. "Aren't you?"

"Yes, most definitely. You're welcome to come with us if you want, Hermione," he said, always the gentleman.

Liz frantically gestured behind him to say no.

What could she do?

"No, that's fine. You have fun."

"Oh, we will, won't we?" she clawed at the front of Jeff's shirt, seductively.

"O-kay. I'll go now."

"Bye," said Liz in a completely different voice. It sounded impatient.

-

Hermione went home.

And waited.

And waited.

And waited.

She tried to sleep but couldn't.

She read one of her books, but got bored.

She finally decided to do some spring cleaning. She cleaned her stove, arranged her bookshelf, tidied the cupboards and scrubbed the sink to immense shininess, not that all this wasn't perfectly clean before.

She looked at the clock. Four a.m.

The door opened and Liz came in, casually, as though it were twelve in the afternoon.

Except her bra was in her hands and her dress wasn't even zipped up properly.

"Oh, Hermione," she said. "What are you doing up so late?"

"Spring cleaning. You?" said Hermione, trying to control her rage. "Having sex with Jeff?"

Liz went on, obliviously. "Oh, he is so amazing in bed, Hermione! And that coc-"

"I don't want to know." Said Hermione through gritted teeth.

"What is he like, Hermione?"

"I think you would know that best, because _you _were the one in _bed _with him."

"No, I already know he's the most sexy man alive. I meant his personality."

"Oh? I didn't think you were one to care about personalities, seeing as you slept with a man the day you met him."

"Come on!"

She sighed. "He's a vegetarian, he loves hiking, and climbing, he's a championship swimmer, he-" seeing the dreamy look on her face, she stopped. "He has hair between his toes, like a hobbit! It's really gross."

"I like manly men."

Hermione felt like throwing up. Bad. "He picks his nose when he thinks no-one's looking!" she lied.

"I don't think that's that bad."

"He-" she struggled. "Er, is sexist! And ageist! And, er…"

"You lie. He told me he loves women who work and get their hands dirty." Yeah, thought Hermione bitterly, women who get their hands dirty on his privates.

"And he told me his best friend is a ten-year old Muslim." She said the word Muslim with certain distaste. Hermione felt like hitting her, but she'd never hit anyone in her life, and she wasn't about to start with Liz.

"Whatever, Liz, I'm going to sleep." She stalked off.

-

The next day, Jeff came to work in a daze.

"Had fun last night, Jeff?" asked Hermione innocently, seething with anger on the inside.

He nodded.

She looked at her laptop on her desk. There was a little post-it note on it that said "Drinks, sometime? _Blaise_" and those little umbrella things 

taped to it. She couldn't help but smile. She looked up and saw something else next to her computer. It was a bouquet of flowers. There were freesias, daffodils, daisies, baby's breaths (those little white puffy ones), Casablanca Lilies, carnations, a few of those cute little yellow button poms, gardenias and finally ixias, and iris's to fill it up. She noted with some satisfaction that she could identify them all.

There was another post it note stuck to it. "Hope you're feeling better. Yesterday was tough."

Aw, that was so sweet! She made a mental note to bring them home.

She opened her planner.

Every bit of fuzziness she had felt a second ago vanished.

Not only had that..._idiot_ read her diary, he had written his name on every single _page _of it for a whole _week_! On the last day, he had written his number.

That bastard was in for it.

-

Meanwhile, Blaise talked to a friend in the office.

"I guarantee, it, mate, she's gonna call me any second now."

"Sure, buddy."

Blaise's phone rang. His friend's jaw dropped.

"I think I should take that."

He picked it up. "Hullo?"

"You moron! You took out a whole bleeding week out of my planner! What were you _thinking_?"

"You're welcome." He replied calmly.

"What?"

"I hope you liked them. The flowers, I mean."

"I-I, DON'T CHANGE THE SUBJECT!"

"Wanna go get a drink? To make up for the planner?"

"NO!" she screeched and hung up.

"Ouch, mate. I could hear her. She seemed pretty pissed."

Blaise nodded.

-

The next few weeks were hell for Hermione. Liz decided to stay for longer because of Jeff. Which meant Hermione had to endure the gross sounds of them making love in the living room from her room. Iw.

"HERMIONE!! HERMIONE!! I HAVE THE AWESOMEST NEWS!!" shrieked Liz, one day.

"What is it, Liz?" asked Hermione with a tired sigh.

"Me and Jeffy-pie(_what? _Thought Hermione) are getting MARRIED!!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"WHAT?" screamed Hermione.

"I KNOW! And dad said I could have mom's wedding dress. I know you wanted to have it but I figured it didn't look like you were going to get married anytime soon, I mean, look at the way you dress, and present yourself. I don't think any guy would want to… you know. So, I wanted to ask if you would help with the arrangements…"

"I- no! I mean, yes, sure, Liz, I have to go." She stormed out of the house.

-

She allowed a tear to fall as she went down the elevator. Liz was ruining her life! She began to wish she had never let Liz come here.

But that wasn't even in her hands! What could she have done?

She reached the bar she wanted to go to and sat down. She ordered a drink. An alcoholic one.

Someone sat down on the chair next to her. She didn't have to turn around to know who it was.

"What do you want from me? Can't you leave me alone!" she wailed.

"That bad, huh?"

She nodded.

"What happened? Tell me, you might feel better."

"Liz is getting married to Jeff."

"Whoa. How long has she known him?"

"Three weeks."

"What? That _is_ screwed up."

"And dad said she can have mom's dress, and she said yes, even though they both know _I _was the one who wanted to wear mom's dress to my wedding and she doesn't even care! And she said that the only reason she said yes, is because she doesn't think I'll be getting married any time soon because the way I present myself and the way I dress sucks. Now she expects me to do her wedding arrangements for her, and I can't say no, because she's my cousin and all!" she let the tears fall, but she didn't sob. Not in public, especially in front of _this _public.

Blaise was listening intently.

"But that's not fair! You were supposed to wear that dress, weren't you? It was what your mom wanted, wasn't it? Then how can she just waltz in and take it from your hands?"

Hermione shrugged helplessly.

"Hermione, who said you can't say no? No one can expect you to do all that for the girl who is marrying the guy _you_ like and wearing the dress _you _were supposed to wear!"

Hermione nodded, not even bothering to deny the fact that she liked Jeff.

"Okay, that's it. We're playing a little game."

She looked up. "A game?"

"Yeah. You have to learn how to be firm when you say no."

"Uh, is this necessary?"

"Yes."

"Okay…"

"Hermione, give me fifty dollars."

She was surprised. He seemed perfectly serious. "No." she replied firmly.

"Come on, it's only fifty dollars! I'll pay you back!"

"No."

"Hermione," he took her hand in his. Her breath got caught in her throat for some reason. "I'm asking you…" she nodded stiffly, still not breathing. "to give me fifty dollars."

She was still in a bit of shock. "N-no?"

He let go of her hand and turned back to face his drink. "Not bad."

She rolled her eyes. "I do what I can." She said.

He grinned. But he couldn't ignore the jolt he had felt when he had touched her hand.

-

The next day, Hermione went to the cake shop with Liz to decide on the cake.

"No. This simply will not do." Said the baker. "I cannot work on such short notice! It's no use giving me those puppy dog eyes, Hermione. I will not do it!"

"Come on, Danny, please? I'll owe you a kazillion?" pleaded Hermione. Despite the 'lesson' with Blaise yesterday, she could not bring herself to say no to Liz.

"Promise to tell me how it went?" he asked, smiling slightly.

"Promise!" smiled Hermione brightly. He was so easy to please sometimes.

"Fine. But only this once." He warned.

"Thank you Danny! I love you!" she smiled.

"I love you too, Hermione," he rolled his eyes.

"Erm, hope I'm not interrupting something." Said a voice behind Hermione.

She spun around to see Blaise. "What're you doing here?"

"Oh, Hermione, this is Eric Freeman. I called him last night to ask if he would do a piece on the wedding. Eric, this is Hermione."

Blaise stuck out a hand, smirking. "Nice to meet you Hermione."

"Hermione's a major fan of your articles. She cuts them out and sticks them in her scrapbook but she doesn't want anyone to know. She wakes up every Sunday, grabs the newspaper and flips right to that page."

"Oh, really?" Blaise seemed amused. "That's nice."

"Can I talk to you for a moment, please?" asked Hermione forcing calmness.

"Sure."

She dragged him to a corner. "YOU."

"Ye-e-es?" he drawled.

"YOU LIED TO ME."

He was surprised. "No I didn't."

"Yes, you did! How was I supposed to know _you _were Eric Freeman?"

"It's just a pseudonym I use so that obsessive raving fan girls like you don't come after me and my unending hotness."

She made a frustrated sound.

"YOU LIED!"

"No, I didn't!"

"Yes, you did! You could have told me you were Eric in the cab that day!"

"Okay, I edited the truth."

"Edited, or omitted?" she said, before stomping out.

-

Later that night, Blaise came knocking at her door. She looked out the peephole and saw it was him.

"What do you want?" she demanded.

"To ask you a few questions about your sister."

"Oh, and I thought you had come to apologize. Forget it."

"Come on, Hermione, I'm sorry. Please open the door?"

She stood for a few seconds, then let out an angry sigh and opened the door.

She couldn't help but notice he looked cute in his partially un-tucked white shirt and baggy jeans.

She stood at the door and stared at him.

"May I come in?" he asked cautiously, after a moment, when he realized she wasn't going to do that.

She scowled and stood aside, allowing entrance.

"Thank you,"

She showed him how welcome he was by telling him to do something neither of them was sure was anatomically possible™ and slamming the door shut.

"Okay, first of all, how do you feel ab- what is _that_?" he asked, seeing a wardrobe that was slightly open. He saw something pink and yellow sticking out.

Hermione jumped. "Nothing." She ran to the wardrobe and struggled to shut it, but Blaise was faster.

He threw open the doors and his jaw dropped. He turned around and started to laugh.

"It's not funny." She snapped and shoved him aside to close the doors.

"You kept all of them?" he was referring to all the bridesmaid dresses Hermione had stashed in the wardrobe. "_Why?" _

"Sentimental purposes. And I have had some good times in those dresses."

"Uh-huh."

"They're not _all _that bad." She said, trying to reason.

"Sure. Show me _one _that's not that bad."

"Fine."

She shoved aside a few dresses. "Not that, not that, ah! This one!" she pulled out a green dress that was body hugging on top, but flared out after the knees.

"Yeah, what color is that? Vomit? Was the bride desperate to make you look like Frankenstein?"

"No! The bride was picking a dress that looked good on everyone!" she insisted.

He pulled out a mini recorder. "Slightly delusional and will believe anything anyone tells her." He said into it.

She grabbed his hand and pulled the recorder to her. "That is not true." She said into it.

"It looks really good on," she tried.

"Show me."

She glanced at him and said, "Fine."

She went in her room and came out wearing the dress.

"Fine, that one isn't too bad. What I want to see is _that _one." He gestured to the pink and yellow _thing _that had caught his attention earlier.

"Give it."

Before he did, he pulled out a mini digital camera and snapped a picture. She stared at him in surprise for a moment, but nevertheless, took the dress and went back in the room.

When she came out he laughed his head off. She glared, "Yeah, yeah, you laugh, why don't _you_ try it on and see how I laugh."

He said nothing, but handed her another dress, still pink in the face.

She came out and struck a pose. He put his head in his hands and took a picture.

She modelled all the dresses in the closet.

The pink frilly one: Bimbo wedding

The shiny lacy one with a parasol: Mary had a little lamb fan wedding

The black suit: Men wear dresses, women wear suits wedding

The kilt and bagpipes: Scottish wedding

The diving suit: Underwater wedding

The yellow one: Gay wedding

The black mini dress with spiky choker necklace and bracelet: Emo wedding

The daffodil dress: Flower fanatic wedding

The bride-with-an-axe-through-her-head-and-eyeliner-streaming-down-her-eyes: Undead wedding

The pink shiny dress: Rapunzel wedding

The kimono: Japanese wedding

Milkmaid dress plus pigtail wig: Dutch wedding

Fairy wings and pink short leafy Fairytopia dress: Fairy wedding

King Kong gorilla outfit: King Kong lovers wedding

Tight, short pink dress: Texan wedding

Beady thing that barely covers privates: Model wedding

Overalls: Plumber wedding

Floppy ears hair band and golden retriever fur coloured dress: Dog lover

Bikini: Beach theme

Tarzan type clothes: Jungle wedding

Pencil skirt and white blouse with hair in a tight bun: Businesswoman wedding

Strangely shaped poofy clothes: Artist's wedding

Lollipop dress: Candy shop owner's wedding

Mirror-covered dress: Vain person's wedding

Breeches/parrot/eye patch: Pirate wedding

Disco clothes: Disco wedding

Poofy dresses with parasol: 1800s theme wedding

Styrofoam: Er, evil bride?

And many, many more.

Blaise took a picture of her in each and every one. After that, he looked through them in his camera.

"38 dresses..." he said. "Wow,"

She sat down on the sofa across him in a green dress with matching high heels (for her newest wedding). She put her legs upon the coffee table in a very unladylike manner. He looked at her for a moment, then held up his camera and snapped a picture of her.

She glanced at him, surprised. He smiled slightly. "It's the best dress," he explained.

She blushed.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"Hermione! Hermione!" squealed Liz. "Come for a walk with me! I want to show you something!"

"Alright, alright."

Liz took her for a walk in the park. She stopped at the boathouse where her parents had been married.

"Well?" she asked.

"What?"

"What do you think of the place where I'm gonna be married?"

"WHAT?"

"YEAH! The first time I called, they said they were booked for the next nine months, but the ninth time I called, they said there was a cancellation so, YAY!"

Hermione said nothing.

"I know, I'm getting married in the way you wanted to be married, but you could _try _and act like you're a bit happy for me."

"No, no, I am happy..." she choked back tears. This wasn't fair.

-

"Hey!" said Blaise to his boss. "How'd you like article?" Of course, he had done an article on Liz, but it was based more on Hermione and her 38 dresses.

"You know what? It wasn't complete crap. For once."

"Really?"

"Yes, much to my surprise."

"But I actually came to ask for some more time. I mean, there is more to Granger then just dresses and a bitchy sister. One more week. Please?"

"No, I already like what I have. I don't want any more."

"Please?"

"Fine. ONE week."

-

About a week later, Hermione received a call from Jeff.

He was asking if she would come and sample some food he was planning to get for the wedding.

Naturally, she agreed.

And when she got there, she found he was sitting in a nice restaurant.

With a table for two.

Alone.

Where was Liz?

He explained that he had wanted to surprise Liz.

Oh.

She sat down and they were cheerfully sampling the food, until Blaise walked up.

"Hi," he said. "I came to ask Liz a few questions, but seeing as she's not here..."

"We're sampling foods." Said Hermione hurriedly.

"I can see that."

"Although I do have a few more questions for Hermione."

"No you don't."

"Yes, I do." He pressed.

"It's alright, Hermione, we were just finishing up. You go ahead."

Hermione forced a smile. "Okay, then. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Great,"

"Bye," she dragged Blaise out of the restaurant and turned to face him.

"What do you think you're doing?" she demanded.

"You really love him, don't you?" he said.

"That was so unnecessarily embarrassing!"

"Sorry!"

"You should be!"

Blaise quizzed Hermione some more as they drove off in her car.

Hermione answered, but stiffly.

"Hey, drive slowly! We're going to crash!" said Blaise, as it started to rain.

"No we're not. Now hurry up and finish your bloody questionnaire."

"Okay, okay, but if we crash into a tree and die, don't blame me."

"Don't make me angrier, Zabini."

Blaise couldn't help but feel wounded. Since when did she start calling him Zabini?

The rain was coming down in torrents. The entire windshield was covered in water (ya think?), completely distorting the view of the road.

Blaise felt it in his bones. Call it a manly car instinct, but he could feel the wheels losing traction.

Before anybody could say Sasquatch, the car had slid out of control.

It veered off the road, making sickening squelchy and grinding noises which were conveniently drowned out by the C-chord created by their simultaneous screaming.

The car banged into a tree and they sat in silence for a minute or so.

"Not. A. Word."

"I-"

"Zip."

"But-"

"Nada."

"Are you okay?" he managed to say at last.

"What?"

"That's what I've been trying to ask. Are you okay?"

"Oh, I'm fine, thanks. You?"

"Uh-huh."

She started to get out of the car. They knew they would have to stay here for the night as their mobiles wouldn't get a signal out here and they couldn't apparate as they couldn't leave the car here as people would ask questions about how they walked all the way back in the pouring rain.

"What are you doing?"

"It'll be easier to sit in the back so I don't push any gears or anything by accident. You can come, too, if you want."

"Okay."

They both got out of the car and climbed into the backseat.

They were already soaking wet.

She shivered in the seat. It was cold.

Blaise saw and he took off his coat and gave it to her.

"Thanks," she said.

He smiled slightly. She noted that his hair looked so cute when it was stuck to his forehead.

"I'm sorry I was so rude to you. I shouldn't have gone on about it. Can you forgive me?"

He grinned and wrapped an arm around her, making her feel very warm and nice, and said, "Of course."

They were suddenly hyper aware of how close they were.

He awkwardly took his arm out from around her shoulders and cleared his throat. They sat huddled next to each other in the car, when outside, the rain poured.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

The next morning, Hermione woke up with her head on Blaise's shoulder. His arm was around her once more and her arm was around his waist, in a way that they were both half-hugging each other.

She woke up and jerked herself away. Blaise's normally cool blue-green eyes opened in horror.

"Oh, my god, I am so sorry!" he said, turning bright red.

She in turn, blushed profusely.

"Sorry, sorry!" he was saying.

"Blaise. Shut up. It never happened. Okay?"

"Okay." He said, nodding slightly.

They looked at each other, then burst into laughter.

It was just so funny!

They called a tow truck and went back to the city.

They sat in a coffee shop a while later, chatting. For once, Hermione considered Blaise a friend. He seemed so happy, sitting there, laughing at her jokes.

Just then, a lady passed by. "Hey! You're the girl from the newspaper!" she cried, pointing at Hermione.

"What?" she asked. She flung an accusing look at Blaise who just looked stunned.

The lady handed her a newspaper. Hermione took it and when she saw the front page, her jaw dropped.

There was her picture. Or should she say, _all _of her pictures. Each and every one of her bridesmaid dresses she had worn to show Blaise was there.

She stared at the title. "ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID NEVER A BRIDE" it screamed.

She glanced through it. "Bridezilla" was one of the phrases in it. Oh, God, Liz was going to be mad.

Right at the bottom: By Eric Freeman

She stared at Blaise for a second, her brown eyes wide, filled with confusion. Why would he do that to her? Was he that heartless?

When he looked back guiltily, she said "I hate you, you selfish bastard."

She walked out of the shop. He ran after her. "Hermione, I told them to give me more time, I told them not to publish it!"

"You _used _me to get ahead in your career!" she accused.

"I- I'm sorry." His eyes were filled with honesty and she really wanted to believe him, but she couldn't. She wouldn't.

She brushed a tear from her eyes and walked away. He didn't attempt to follow her. She would only get angrier.

-

Later at her apartment, Liz stormed in. "How could you DO this to me, Hermione? You completely EMBARRASSED me!" she screamed.

"Sorry," Hermione mumbled. She didn't even _know _why she was apologizing for something that wasn't her fault.

It was her fault, in a way.

For trusting him.

For befriending him.

For falling in love.

She hated herself for it.

The phone rang. Liz picked it up. "Hello? May I please speak to Hermione?" came Blaise's voice.

"YOU. You're not speaking to anyone mister, EXCEPT MY LAWYER! And I don't even HAVE a lawyer, but I WILL GET ONE!" she screamed and threw the phone on the sofa next to Hermione.

"You'd better watch out London, BRIDEZILLA'S ON THE LOOSE!" she screamed once more and stormed out.

Hermione sighed and put her head in her hands.

-

The next day, she went to work as usual. Jeff tried to talk to her.

"Hermione,"

"Don't. I know I screwed your wedding and you probably never want to speak to me again. I understand."

"No, I just wanted to ask how you were doing." He said softly.

"W-what?"

"It wasn't your fault. That bastard deserves to be sued."

She sniffed.

"And Liz is too perfect to be dumped like that. She's just like me! She's a vegetarian, she loves animals, she hikes in her free time, she's a swimmer, too, and she loves children! Could she get any more perfect?"

_What? _Thought Hermione. Liz survives on meat, hates animals of all sort, has never hiked in fear of breaking a nail, can't swim to save her life, and he despises children!

That cow had been using what Hermione had told her about Jeff the other day to make her seem like the perfect match for him!

"I-er, yeah, you two make a great couple." She said miserably.

"I know!"

-

Later that day, Hermione went to the wedding dress shop to help Liz with her dress.

Liz talked to her through the dressing curtain.

"Look, I've decided to forgive you for the whole newspaper thing. I guess it wasn't really all your fault."

"Uh-huh." Hermione rolled her eyes. She didn't really care what Liz thought anymore.

Liz came out wearing something that looked a lot like...

"MOM'S DRESS?"

She and Liz kinda 'shared' mom's cos Liz's parents had died in an accident and she was living with another set of relatives, but Hermione's mom always treated Liz like her daughter, so it became official.

Liz always won arguments and things because _she _was the orphan.

_She _needed love and was traumatized due to the sudden loss of her parents.

_She _was the younger one.

But _this _was unacceptable.

"Yeah, I kinda modified. You know?"

"WHAT? You DESTROYED IT!"

"No, I only removed the lace cos it was too last century. Here, you can have it, if you want."

She held out a pile of lace and frill. Hermione slapped her hand away.

"That is IT!" she stormed out.

Only when she reached her apartment and was safely locked away in her room, she let herself cry.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Hermione went to her cousin's wedding soon.

"Hermione," said Liz urgently, right before the wedding. "Say _only _what I've told you to, okay?"

"Oh, okay, sure."

Later, on, she walked up to the stage.

"Jeff and Liz. A perfect couple." She showed two pictures of them as babies.

"He is interested in foreign issues," she showed him talking to foreign clients. "So is she," she showed Liz on top of some foreign guys.

"He is civil," she showed him in his office. "So is she," she showed Liz in a car wash, protesting against something half naked.

"He loves animals," she showed him feeding animals at the zoo, "So does she," she showed Liz shoving her face with pork ribs.

"He loves children," she showed her with his friend, the ten year old. "So does she," she showed Liz making that kid clean the apartment,

"So I stand before you today, saying, 'Cheers, to Liz and Jeff, the perfect couple'. She held up her glass of champagne. "Congratulations." And ran off the stage.

Liz was sobbing, "Thanks a lot!" she cried.

"Liz," Hermione tried.

"The wedding's off." She cried.

Hermione walked out of the dining room.

She was walking away when a hand touched her shoulder and stopped her.

She slowly turned around.

Blaise stood there, seriously.

"What?" she asked. "You've already screwed up my life, Liz has screwed up my life, I have screwed up my life, now don't screw it anymore."

"How did you screw up your life?"

"By doing what I just did!"

"I saw that, and I think it was amazing."

"What?"

"She was lying to him, she got what she deserved."

"Look, in three minutes, I'm going to walk out of your life, but before that I just wanted to say, you're a strong person. Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise. I know I hurt you, and I'm really sorry for that, but I don't think my words are going to make you feel any better. So, here." He held out a Blackberry™. Take it. It's so you're more organized and you don't have to cram everything into that diary of yours."

When she just stared at it, he said, "Please, just take it. I'm feeling like a real jerk right now."

She smiled a bit and took it. Before she could say anything, he had left.

She looked at the device in her hands. It was all sweetly decorated with a little red bow ribbon thing and it had another post-it note. "I'm sorry." It said in his neat handwriting.

She smiled a bit.

She looked up but Blaise had vanished. She couldn't see anyone. She sighed.

The next day, she went to work. Jeff stopped her. "Look, Hermione, I want you to know that I don't hold any grudge against you for yesterday. I should thank you for bringing to my attention that Liz was lying to me all this time. I just wish you would have told me earlier."

She gave him a small smile.

"Thanks."

She went to work, but she kept thinking about Blaise. She opened her notebook and looked at the week's worth of dates he had scrawled over.

She smiled again. She looked at Jeff. She didn't think she loved him anymore. Cos she didn't feel that frission electricity thing she used to feel. Or thought she felt.

She sighed. Why was her life so complicated?

-

Liz was still not on talking terms with her. God, she was immature. She had a right to be mad, but this was pushing it.

Hermione went to her dad's place.

"Hey dad."

"Hi, honey." He said and hugged her.

"Liz is really mad this time, isn't she?" she asked quietly after a moment.

"Yeah, she loves you Hermione, you need to talk it out."

"Okay, dad." Even though he didn't always say the right thing, he made her feel better, for sure.

Just then, Liz came in. The shop bell tinkled.

"You. What're you doing here?" she snarled when she saw Hermione.

"I have to go," said her dad and rushed out.

"I hate you." Said Liz.

"Look, Liz, what you were doing was wrong. You can't deny it. You were lying. It wasn't real."

"I- I know."

"Then why?"

"Life isn't as easy for me as it is for you,"

"My life? Easy? Yeah, right! You have the easiest life in the world!"

"No, I don't! I got _fired _from my job! That's why I came here! I wasn't hear on business! I was trying to get re-employed! I couldn't face you jobless like that! So I lied. Because you are so perfect with your perfect job and good looks and Eric!"

"Eric?"

"He is completely head-over-heels in love with you! Can't you see it?"

"N-no he isn't."

"Yes, he is!"

"Oh, come here, Liz. Love can wait." She hugged Liz tight.

-


	8. Chapter 8

Hi, everyone! This is not a real chapter, sorry! But I just wanted to ask for help! I'm kinda at a standstill, I think it's post-exam trauma. Lol. Anyway, I _want_ to add in fluff, but every time I try, it comes out all wrong! So could you please send me any ideas you had in mind? PM, review, anything! Otherwise, I think it will be some time before I can get an idea… sniff. Anyway, any help, even if I didn't use it(don't count on that) will be greatly appreciated and credited.

Thank you so much! I don't know what I'd do without you!!

The Queen of Mischief


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